I'm torn by wanting to find out what happens next, and getting tired of this series. IT's not really holding up well. ( )

The books in Darren Shan's Vampire's Assistant saga are divided into trilogies, and Hunters of the Dusk is the first of three in the 'Vampire War' set. The previous trilogy - 'Vampire Rites' - was already going slightly off the boil for me, deviating from the basic vampire premise into a sort of Lord of the Rings-cum-Klingon rites of passage adventure, and even though Darren and Mr Crepsley have now left Vampire Mountain behind, their quest to hunt down the Lord of the Vampanese lacks the charm of the early books. Darren is also going through the 'purge', a sort of vampire puberty, where he suddenly leaves behind his childhood body and turns into a hairy, musclebound teen overnight! Granted, he has been trapped in a child's body for far too long, considering that around fourteen years have passed since Mr Crepsley blooded him, but the charm of the books for me is in the father and son relationship Darren has with the vampire. I know all children have to grow up, and that the whole series is basically a drawn-out, fantastical bildungsroman, but Darren's independence from Mr Crepsley is depressing to read. As Mr Tiny says to him, 'I preferred you when you were less clever'.

The plot is fast-paced and more character-centric than previous instalments, with Darren and Mr Crepsley returning to the Cirque du Freak with Harkat Mulds, Vancha March and Lady Evanna. The Lady, who gave Larten the scar on his face, is a sort of Mad Madam Mim figure, in league with Mr Tiny and Mr Tall, who warns Darren and the others that they will only have four chances to kill the Lord of the Vampanese. If they don't, only one of the hunters will live to see the War of the Scars between vampires and vampanese. Wherein lies the second obstacle to my further enjoyment of this series - I know what's coming, and I really don't want to read any further. So I think I will abandon the saga here, and order the manga versions of the first four books instead. Cowardly, I know, but thank you anyway, Darren Shan, for creating such an addictive, open-age series! ( )

Darren, Mr Crepsley and Harkat set off from Vampire Mountain on the quest of hunting down the Lord of The Vampanese before he comes into his full power, and the Vampanese wipe out the vampires. Darren & Mr Crepsley are 2 of the 3 vampires that fate has chosen to hunt the Vampanese Lord. The 3rd is Vampire Prince Vancha March, who they meet up with on their journey. The vampire hunters are fated to cross the path of the vampanese lord 4 times, and must kill him if there is to be any hope of the vampires winning the War of the Scars.
It's great to see how the characters have changed and adapted through out the saga, we are learning more about them in each saga installment, about their past secrets and relationships. The adding of a new characters is great in this saga installment, adding more depth. I found The Hunters of the Dusk full of suspence, nasty suprizes, twists and turns, and brilliantly written and leaving you hungry for more. ( )